


Speckles and Curls

by autistic_tauriel



Category: The Hobbit - All Media Types
Genre: 1920's AU, F/F, Mutual Pining, Tauriel's a journalist Kili a Cabaret singer, actual healthy sibling relationships, but I am too so thats what you get, healthy relationships in general, just gals being pals while uprooting 1920'a gangs with other gals being pals, really gay like holy shit
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-04-10
Updated: 2017-05-11
Packaged: 2018-10-17 04:31:23
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 2
Words: 5,444
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/10586478
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/autistic_tauriel/pseuds/autistic_tauriel
Summary: With her brother recently kidnapped and no one to go to, Kíli has no option but to seek out an anonymous journalist in order to save her brother from the hand's of gangsters.Thus the two women set off on an adventure of a lifetime, laying their lives on the line to save the only family Kíli has left; but will they be able to rescue Him in time?





	1. Chapter 1

It wasn’t going as well as she would have liked, sure she had the best damn voice in the whole joint but never got the stage time she deserved. Always put off so some leggy dame got the spotlight, not that she had anything against them they too needed to work, but Kíli knew she at least deserved one more show slot and a girl’s allowed to be bitter. Kíli never missed a day, whether she was sick or not, she had to make rent somehow. Those bastards took everything from Fíli and her, leaving them penniless as teens and down on their luck in the heart of a busy city.

Now they lived in a small apartment in the industrial district, Fíli would work long hours at the steel mill and Kíli found the best paying job a girl could land; sure men would shout profanities at her but the check paid bills, and you have to do what you can to make by.

 

Kíli got her job three years ago, the men who ran the cabaret told her upfront that they rarely hired girls as curvy as her, but Kíli knew how to work a crowd, when to show a little more skin, and when to blow them away with her voice. More and more folk showed up over the years just to hear her sing, and when Kíli demanded a raise she knew she just had to threaten to leave for another show and they’d give her the pennies she well deserved.

 

Fíli’s hard work paid off too, he was climbing a ladder of sorts, the fellow was good with machines and quick on his feet. It wasn’t long before the managers noticed his potential.

They were finally doing well, getting back on their feet and making their way. Kíli was certain that she and her brother could start saving to go back home again, reunite with their family that they missed so dearly.

 

Of course, this was too good to be true, those bastards had to come in and rip everything from them as they always did. Kíli would come home one day to find the door to her apartment ajar, muddy footprints tracing in an out.

Pulling a pocket revolver from her bag, Kíli nudged open the door with the side of her foot and scoped out the room. No one was home, and the only sign of life was their living room a mess and one of her brother’s cigars put out in his ashtray, still warm; whatever happened, it happened recently. Then there in the corner of her eye, Kíli spotted it, a simple white handkerchief tossed on the top of their radio case.

 

It was a little code the two had developed when they were left on their own, no numbers, no words. Just a simple tissue somewhere around the radio as if to say “Save our Skins” without drawing any unwanted attention; and Kíli’s heart sunk to her stomach.

 

The worst part? The worst part is that she had to be discreet, she couldn’t go to cops or even a private eye to help her, these gangsters had their claws reached every filthy corner of this city and she’d never know who they’ve paid off.

On top of it, Kíli knew she was being watched. Those thugs were cowards if anything, rather they prefer to keep an eye on her home then act on anything, assuming that they were leaving some helpless girl in the dust and could hold her brother ransom for whatever they wanted.

Yet they never caught on to the fact that Kíli had always had a nose for poking around, she was skilled at pouting and finding clues.

The next few days she’d lounge about reading the paper, listening to the radio, even eavesdropping on conversations while she was running her daily errands; hoping she’d find any clue about her brother.

Nothing had caught her eye about him, no code words, no clues, only a series of articles written by an anonymous author under the alias Detective Silver.

  
  


Detective Silver, whoever they were, seemed to specialize in finding clues about organized crime, uncovering who did what before the police did. Moreover, calling out corruption and willful ignorance in ignoring the growing evil around them. No one knew who they were, only that they were better at snooping about than any person Kíli could go to for help.

How to find Detective Silver? Simple, the author was no good at pen names or having any differences in their writing; a similar author with the same style and flair wrote a life advice panel, all under the name of Speckles Silvan.

  
  


If Speckles were a man,  Kíli would just have to put on her best dress and act as if she were a damsel in distress. If Speckles were a woman, Kíli would hope they’d be willing to help; girls have to stick together after all.

Come morning, she put on her best dress and dolled herself up taking the first streetcar she could to Greenwood Publishing, trying to make it look like she was leaving for some sort of date; just in case.

Now Greenwood Publishing was a rather foreboding building, one of those skyscrapers cities had become so fond of. It was made of concrete with large bronze letters spelling out its names, and a good old revolving door to let people in and out, nothing too grand. All the fancier buildings were saved for downtown.

The lobby was well kept and the receptionist was casually ignoring the man who was flirting with her, it was most likely a common occurrence.

 

The receptionist put up her hand to stop the man from talking.

“Can I help you, Miss?” She asked Kíli

  
  


Kíli shifted on her heels,“Yes, um, I looking for Speckles Silvan?”

 

“Take a left on the third floor, and she’ll be the fifth door down. You won’t miss it.”

 

“Thank you”

 

As the elevator took Kíli up to the third floor, she felt as if her gut was being tied in knots. What if this didn’t go the way she was hoping it would? What if she got laughed at and sent on her way, Speckles may think she’s just another cabaret girl looking to stir up some drama with false info, leading them down a wild goose chase; and poor, poor Fíli would be left in the hands of those scoundrels. With no help coming, sitting about rotting away never knowing what the next day would bring. Kíli shivered at the thought, it made her want to cry but now wasn’t the time for that. Tears would have to wait.

 

Drawing herself out of her distressed state, Kíli looked up to see a simple wooden door with a single a cloudy glass window panel. On the window were simple white decals spelling out a name, a name that read as “Tauriel Silvan”.

There it was, a thin piece of wood between her and who would hopefully be her ally. A face to a name so many know, but never truly.

 

Kíli gently knocked on the door hoping that it wouldn’t come off as rude or demanding, and a disgruntled “Come in” came from the other side. Oh good lord what if she had already messed this up? She couldn’t turn back now, all she could do was swallow her fear and step through.

 

Now, this Tauriel’s office was a terrible mess: papers scattered all over the floor, a coat tossed in a chair, and hanging flower baskets sat haphazardly in an open window- and there was Tauriel sitting behind her typewriter looking absolutely bored out of her noggin.

 

In Kíli’s opinion, this Tauriel was absolutely stunning, her red hair was such stark contrast to her dark skin and the freckles across her broad nose. Why it’s no wonder the lady calls herself speckles. Kíli felt as if she were staring at an ancient goddess, or even Helen of troy in a sense- for this woman surely had a face that could launch a thousand ships.

 

Kíli felt heat rising to her cheeks, scolding herself for poor timing. She didn’t need to turn into some sap, not now.

 

“Are you going to stand in my doorway all day or are you going to come in? I’ve got articles to write,” said Tauriel, obviously not writing.

 

“Right of course,” Kíli shut the door behind her, “Well, um, I need your help, Ms. Silvan.”

  
  


“Most people just write. Whatever boy you’re trying to impress isn’t worth coming all the way here you know.”

 

“Oh, Sweety nothing I’ve done in my life has ever been to impress men.”

 

“Attagirl, you’ve already got the right mind for this. You don’t need my help.”

 

“Oh I’m afraid I do, you see my brother has been taken and the cops are no good. I need your help, Detective Silver.”

 

Tauriel raised her brows and laughed, “ _ You  _ think  _ I’m _ Detective Silver? Kid, I’m an unmarried twenty-five-year-old woman who solves day-to-day problems of teen girls, not some sleuth.”

 

“Mmhm. Then what's this?” Kíli picked up a partially crumpled sheet of paper, with the iconic Detective Silver name on it. “For an anonymous writer, you’re terrible at the anonymous part.”

 

Tauriel snatched the paper out of Kíli’s hand, ripping it into bits with a look of frustration, “Alright you’ve got me, just stop looking through my trash like some kind of raccoon.”

 

“I’ve been called worse.”

  
  


“What is it that you want from me- I’m sorry I never caught your name?”

 

“Kíli, my name’s Kíli Durin, at your service if you're at mine.”

 

“And what would that mutual servitude imply?”

 

“Well, You help me find my brother, I give you the story of a lifetime. I assure you, Tauriel, it’ll launch you all the way to the top.”

  
  


“I have to say, You’ve piqued my interest.” Tauriel rested her chin in her hands, “Pull up a chair, tell me what you know.”

 

“Where should I start?”

 

“The scene of the crime.”

 

Kíli reached across the table to borrow a pen and a piece paper, using it to draw out a perfect blueprint of her apartment from memory.  Each piece of furniture and every window in its spot; hardly a line of ink was out of place.

First Kíli explained the usual atmosphere of the place, how when Fíli was at home he was in his chair with his feet on the table and smoking a cigar. The radio playing on any channel to drown out the noise from their rowdy hooch-loving and the two old maids gossiping in the hall. Think walls anyways made interesting eavesdropping sessions, they’ve learned all sorts of dirt on their neighbors, but that was beside the point.

Now she’d describe her brother as a well-groomed blonde man, with a long nose, a thick mustache, and a strong chin. She’d joke and call Fíli a jerk for always teasing her, but such fond terms aside he was still his brother, and no matter how much he teased he was still there for her no matter what. Fíli had always looked after her since they were kids, protecting her as they grew up, coming home with black eyes because he had gotten into a fist fight to keep her safe.

Fíli hated that Kíli worked at a cabaret, with men always hollering terrible and crude things at her. Never once showed up to her shows as they made him uncomfortable, but he’d support her choices no matter what; as long as it wasn’t getting her hurt of course.

Performing was something Kíli loved with all her heart, and Fíli promised he’d never take that away from her.

 

“You’re getting off subject” Tauriel gently reminded, barely looking up from her notes.

 

“Right,” Kíli sighed, crossing her legs, “sorry.”

There she had seen when she got home was one of Fíli’s Cigarettes and then their paper code, which Kíli explained. There were knocked over chairs and a broken glass, which was likely used for self-defense by Fíli, and his pocket knife laid half-open on the floor. So obviously Fíli had gotten into a fight, the man never went down without a fight, and Kíli stated that Fíli most definitely alive. She was certain of that. Those thugs wouldn’t be getting any more money out of her if her brother were dead, which is why they had to go save him.

 

“And do you know who those thugs are?” Tauriel asked

 

Kíli crossed her arms and pulled into herself

 

“I know it’s hard to talk about,” Tauriel set down her pen and paper “If it’s any comfort to you, I lost my brother Aewlim in the war, I know the fear you feel all too well. You’re safe to speak with me.’

  
  


“It’s ironic that you say that, it’s because of the war that I’m here.” Kíli shifted in her seat, “My parents had my brother and I smuggled here when our home came under attack. We didn’t know that the thug we hired was the son of the man my uncle killed in battle.”

 

Soon Kíli opened up, saying that the gangster was named Bolg. Maybe it was a nickname, she didn’t know and she didn’t care. All she knew is that that bastard kept her and her brother hostage for years, forcing them to work in a factory as kids, using them as a pawn in his illegal schemes. Keeping them as slaves to earn him more money, his empire was built on their backs.

Finally, as they hit their late teens, Bolg had decided that they had no use to him and “set them loose.” but by that he meant they had to keep their traps shut and pay him fees once a month to keep him out of their hair.

 

What probably happened was that Bolg wanted more money, or that Fíli stood up to one of Bolg’s cronies, they were never late with their payment and never spoke a word to anyone; But Fíli had been growing angrier and angrier about being bullied by those thugs, he wanted to go home, he wanted his family to be safe and happy. Sure, enough was enough, but enough was what got him kidnapped, and if the police were any help they would have gone to them long ago.

Yet Kíli refused to give up hope, to let the thoughts of her brother possibly being dead not going to her head. Anyways, if Bolg wanted them dead he would have done it long ago.

 

Tauriel rose from her desk, shoving a notepad and pens into her purse looking absolutely determined.

 

“Please, please for the love of god don’t leave.” Kíli stood up, grabbing onto Tauriel’s hands, “You have to help me, I have nowhere else to go too.”

 

“I know,” Tauriel reassured her, “I’m taking your case, I just want to see the scene of the crime if possible.”

 

Kíli’s eyes lit up, tears streaming down her cheeks, “Oh thank you! Thank you Tauriel, I owe you my life!”

  
  


“You don’t owe me anything Kíli, losing a sibling is hard- and I don’t want anyone else to go through that if they don’t have too.”

 


	2. Chapter 2

It had been two weeks since they had started the case, where they met up varied between Kíli’s or Tauriel’s apartment, at times even in Tauriel’s office. Yet with more clues they gathered the more they found it increasingly difficult to balance work and their mystery.

 

Tauriel found herself attending Kíli’s shows, meeting her behind the stage or keeping an eye on the crowd to see if anyone fit the descriptions of Bolg’s thugs. There were a few here and there, but more often than not Tauriel noticed that the men usually are too busy hanging out in the back of the room. All liquored up and flirting with women, hoping to have a wild night and not doing what Bolg had hired them to do.

At times Tauriel would become frustrated, Kíli was terribly stubborn and strong minded. Kíli would willingly talk about her brother, or how her mother was opera singer and uncle a proud and wonderful man; but any chance Tauriel tried to get Kíli to open up about herself and her experiences, the girl would clam right up and change the subject.

Sure, Tauriel could easily use her reported techniques, use a play on words, essentially manipulate Kíli into talking about herself; but such an investigation as this needed to be based on trust, and so Kíli needed to come to it on her own and Tauriel would simply have to wait. Kíli’s just lucky she’s cute, it made it all the more bearable to wait.

 

Of course, cuteness wasn't everything. Tauriel did hope that after the case was over, however long that would be, they two could remain friends. After all, Kíli’s a wonderful woman with a splendid personality, if Tauriel could choose any person to be stuck with for a lifetime it'd be her.

Oh good god, she was sounding like her sister.

Tauriel needed to clear her mind and focus on what was in front of her.

 

Which, in reality, wasn’t helping at all.

 

For there was Kíli up on stage, framed in lights shining through light cigar smoke and a short dress, singing her heart out. Tauriel felt the heat rising to her cheeks and quickly stuffed her face into the feather boa Kíli had loaned her, which was a mistake because it was Kíli’s.

This was getting ridiculous, absolutely ridiculous, Tauriel was a professional not some hopeless romantic who went and got stuck on a client. Or so she kept telling herself.

 

Come the end of Kíli’s performance Tauriel made her way past hollering men and loud applause to the entrance to the backstage door, where she would wait for Kíli to get ready to head back to her apartment.

And she would wait, and wait, and wait.

Quite honestly, Kíli was taking longer than usual and Tauriel was about to sneak in and check up on her before Kíli came storming out the door, struggling to put on her jacket due to frustration.

Then Tauriel caught a glimpse of a bruise forming on Kíli’s arm in shape that made it clear someone has grabbed onto her, and by the size of the bruise, it seemed the suspect was a man. A very large one as that.

 

“Good god Kíli, what happened? Tauriel asked, catching up to the fuming women

 

“Nothing,” Kíli fibbed, “Just some bimbo thinking he could sneak backstage and get lucky”

 

“Come on, be honest.”

 

Kíli bit her lip a looked around, “I am.”

 

Tauriel got the hint, “Want me to walk you home? Just in case?”

 

“That'd be nice.”

 

The two linked arms and walked out to wait for late night trolley, talking about little things, local and celebrity gossip as one would expect a couple of friends to do.  ever knowing who was in a dark ally listening eavesdropping, it was better to play it safe when in public.

As they were on the trolley, Tauriel found herself gazing out the window admiring the city skyline, how the lights shining through windows looked like stars in the sky. Always reminding her of her childhood home, how she missed the peaceful silence of a forest.

 

Once the reached Kíli’s apartment Kíli went right in to turn on the radio and pour them drinks claiming that it was terribly still in there, which in reality the radio was only turned on to drown out their voices.

 

“So what really happened?” Tauriel asked, her voice low “was it one of the cronies?”

 

Kíli nodded. “They were concerned about me having a friend, I told them you were a new makeup artist at the nightclub and we hit it off. He wanted to know if I told you anything, naturally, I said no but he tried ruffing me up to get me to say otherwise but the other girls came by in time and chase him off by yelling, thinking he was some guy trying to take advantage of me.”

 

“I see…”

 

There was a long silence

 

Tauriel was the first to speak up, “Kíli? I need to ask you something.”

 

“I swear if you're going to ask me one more time to open up I'm going to lose it,” Kíli said, clearly annoyed

 

“No I wasn't, I mean yes I need to know more about you in order to solve this, but that's not what I was going to ask. I was going to see if you wanted me to stay with you or Vice Versa, just ok case anything, you know, happens.”

 

“...I'll tell you about me if you tell me about you first.”

  
  


“That's not what I- are you trying to change the subject?”

  
  


“Do you want a deal or not?” Kíli asked, purposely being a pain in the ass.

 

“Sure, whatever works.” Tauriel sighed, “I go first, right?”

 

“Mmhm.”

 

Tauriel curled up on the loveseat, holding her drink on her lap and only a moment later she began to talk.

She told Kíli how she grew up on a hill just outside a forest, spending much of her youth rolling around playing with her siblings and wandering barefoot in the grass; oh how she hated shoes as a child, she was convinced that if god wanted them to wear shoes then he wouldn’t have made dirt so soft between her toes, and Kíli laughed at the thought. Tauriel would always ride around on her father’s shoulders claiming that she was taller than him, always snooping in on her mother’s cooking and hoping to steal a sweet. Her Sister Meluiel and her brother Aewlim were always butting heads, but always came together if Tauriel had scraped her knee or got picked on by other kids, and no matter what, they’d all band their pennies together to buy some candy to share at the general store.

Her grandmother would scold her parents for how many freckles her siblings and her would have. Their mother would say it was where the sun had kissed their cheeks and their father claimed it was because they were related to the moon and stars, on their mother’s side of course, as there was nothing or no one more beautiful. That always made their mother blush.

 

They were such a happy family with such an ideal life, everything was good and right and nothing could have ever gone wrong, or so they thought.

It started going downhill on a stormy night, their neighbor’s animal’s got out and her parents were helping find them- all went well and the animals got back in the barn safe, but when her parents were crossing the road on the way home some bastard with his new came whipping around a blind corner hitting them both. Tauriel’s father died on impact, having protected her mother from the initial blow; but sadly that was all in vain, as her mother died a few days later from her injuries.

 

After that Tauriel and her siblings moved in with their grandmother, which none of them were fond of as they grew up free and always at play, and their grandmother was a strict old hen with mean eyes and wicked words. Tauriel spent those years in an old-fashioned dress and funny sun hats or her hair up in ribbons, never allowed to go barefoot and always scolded and smacked on the ear if her stockings had the slightest stain of grass or tear.

 

As soon as he could Tauriel’s brother joined the military, using that money to get them out of that house. Aewlim grew up too fast to take care of his sisters, he was the kindest soul and was always willing to help just like their father was, but the light he brought to the world was cut off a few years into the war.

What was worse was that Aewlim died in his last battle, he was supposed to come home after that, he said he was going to propose to his girl as soon as he stepped off the boat. That they’d all be taken care of, that he and his girl would have a big home full of laughter and children, just like their youth.

Yet that never came, he never did come home, only a flag and a letter from his Commanding Officer sending his condolences.

Aewlim always did value other lives over his own after all.

 

So Tauriel spent the last of her teen years with her sister Meluiel and her sister’s friend Sithiril, both women made sure Tauriel stayed in school and pursued her dreams to write, working day in and day out. They were always too good to her, she never thanks them enough.

Meluiel and Sithiril still live together on the outskirts of the city, they don’t have to work as hard but they still live humbly, Tauriel said she could only dream of having a friendship such as theirs’.

 

“You never know,” Kíli shrugged, “Maybe you and I will have a strong friendship after all this.”

 

“Perhaps,” Tauriel replied abruptly as she took a slow sip of her drink and didn’t make any eye contact. A slight blush to her cheeks.

 

“So it’s my turn right?”

 

“Yes.”

 

Kíli sighed and threw her drink back in a single motion. “Alright let’s get to it.”

 

For the first bit, Kíli seemed to be talking into her chest, still uncomfortable with opening up about her life. The most Tauriel gathered from it was Kíli and Fíli grew up on a mountain side with their family all around, from the sounds of it, they came from old money, but the war came and the economy took a dive and so did their wealth.

Now Kíli would go on and on about her mother’s opera career, how her mother would always steal the show. Kíli would always sit backstage and watch the show, dreaming of the day she could join her mother on stage and perform, have a standing ovation and joy swelling in her chest knowing that she has left an impression. She got singing lessons whenever she could, before or after school it didn’t matter. Kíli wanted to be on stage so badly.

Of course, like it was for Tauriel, the war ruined everything, Kíli’s father died in battle, her uncle Thorin was always away keeping them safe and providing for their family, and before they knew it they could hear bullets fire in the distance and the war had come to their doorstep.

Her mother and Uncle gathered what money the had and sent her and Fíli away to where they thought they would be safe, and Tauriel knew what happened after that.

Now, Fíli did everything he could to keep her safe from Bolg’s thugs, providing what he could and doing what jobs he was assigned just so Kíli could have some kind of childhood, so she could follow her dreams. He put everything on the line for her, saving up spare cash to take her to the movie shows and get her something new for her birthdays even if it was just a piece of nickel candy. How she hated the fact that he gave himself so little for all he did.

 

They finally got out of Bolg’s grasp when they were in their late teens, he claimed that their debts were repaid and they could go free. Free he claimed, free of a monthly ransom fee to keep him off their backs.  They couldn’t pay that fee and rent at the same time off of one salary, not unless they wanted to be living in the slums again.

So naturally, Kíli ran off and got herself a job. For a while she’d work at a library, sorting books and catching up on her learnings, then when the chance came and the nightclub had opened auditions for Cabaret singers Kíli jumped at the chance.

 

Of course, Fíli wasn’t too fond of her career choice, but he never said it and supported her no matter what.

 

“...He always did,” Kíli said fondly, “Hell, for a time I wanted to be a movie star. He was there rooting me on and cheering me up each and every time I got rejected. Never once did he think a girl like me wouldn’t make it in the movie business- why are you laughing?”

 

“It’s nothing,” Tauriel chuckled, “It just seems to me that our siblings are all too similar.”

  
  


Kíli smiled and raised her glass, “Then here’s to the siblings who put everything on hold to take care of us.”

 

“Here’s to them.”

 

There was a long pause, and it seemed that Tauriel was nearly falling asleep it was so late.

 

“So,” Kíli set down her drink, “You spending the night?”

  
  
  


Tauriel laughed, “Well considering this stuff is practically coffin varnish I don’t think I’m in any state to head back!”

  
  


“Fair enough, crash where ever you’d like, I’m going to bed.”

It was a fairly sleepless night, at least for Kíli, often wandering around her apartment. looking in on Fíli’s room hoping that she may find him sleeping on his bed with his shoes still on like he did after long work days.

The most she found was Tauriel fast sleep on the couch, with fingers tangled in her hair and legs hanging off the other side. The women had nodded off as soon as Kíli left the room, it was obvious Tauriel wasn’t used to nightlife. Probably the type to get to work around eight and to bed early, always pushing her nose to the grindstone trying to prove herself.

As if that really mattered, the girl was making her way and how she lived her life was none of Kíli’s business.

 

Soon the morning light came and Tauriel grunted awake, displeased with the headache Kíli’s alcohol gave her and clearly resenting the sun.

 

“What time is it?” Tauriel groaned, covering her eyes with the back of her hands

 

“Half past nine.”

 

“Oh  _ God _ , I’m going to be late for work! Tauriel launched to her feet, pausing only for a moment as her lightheadedness passed and began to frantically get her things together.

Kíli laughed, making Tauriel sit down as she fixed her hair, the women maybe hungover but she wasn’t going to show up to work looking like it.

 

“I’m going with you today.” Kíli said matter-of-factly, “I don’t trust you out on your own like this.”

 

“I’m fine,” Tauriel brushed off her jacket

 

“Sweety you can’t get up without getting dizzy you’re so hungover, I’ve never met a worse lightweight in my entire life.”

  
  


“Anyone’s a lightweight with that awful mix you have.”

  
  


“Stop complaining and take my arm, I’ll guide you til you’re stable.”

 

Tauriel frowned but took Kíli’s offer nonetheless, though she wasn’t thrilled about needing help to get down a simple flight of stairs, or for getting on a trolley to work. The fact of the matter was that she did need it and Kíli was being a kind soul for offering to help.

 

As they reached Tauriel’s office they came to a sudden stop, the door was wide open. Looking at one another in agreement, they cautiously entered the room only to find it was one of Tauriel’s male coworkers sitting on her desk and smoking a cigar.

 

“What are you doing?” Tauriel asked, “You know I won't give you any of my stories.”

 

“Oh please Speckles,” He laughed, “Your stories have been so slow lately I don’t need anything from you. Thought I might give you one, to occupy yourself. Something little, shouldn't be to hard for a girl like you.”

  
  


“Gee, how kind of you,” Tauriel said dryly

 

“It’s just a little watch some farmer picked up on the way to town, thought we could find its owner before the police did. Kind old fellow.” the coworker got and stepped outside the door, “Nothing much, I put it on your desk.”

  
  


“Wow isn’t that just the cat’s meow,” Tauriel couldn’t get more sarcastic, “how will I ever thank you.”

 

“You can always thank me later” He winked.

 

Without another word, Tauriel shut the door in his face and locked it, obviously fed up.

As for Kíli, her defensiveness for Tauriel was cut off when she went over to look at the watch on the desk and gasped. “ _ Tauriel! _ ”

 

“What is it?” Tauriel rushed to Kíli’s side “Whats wrong?”

 

“Nothing! it’s just,” Kíli took a deep breath, “this is Fíli’s watch, this belongs to my brother!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading and all the wonderful comments! I'd respond to them when you give them but I get so flustered and flatter I never know what to say!
> 
> Anyways, Here's some translations for the 1920's slang used in this chapter, as some of it has changed over the years and it was different country to country, language barriers, and so on!
> 
> •Stuck on/getting stuck on: To have/develop a crush on someone
> 
> •Bimbo: A tough guy
> 
> •Coffin varnish: Bootleg alcohol with a high enough alcohol content its basically poisonous. 
> 
> •the cat's meow: Great, fantastic, cool
> 
> Thanks for reading!

**Author's Note:**

> Here it is by popular demand! As per my usual disclaimer, I am autistic and dyslexic with no proof reader, so writing is a bit hard but I love it, and I apologize for any of the grammar and spelling issues my many editing programs didn't catch.  
> But I have to say, I had a lot less errors than I usually do and is one of the longer first chapters I've posted! So I'm getting there, slowly but surely!
> 
> Thanks for reading and feel free to leave a comment!


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